Originally published on April 13, 2021, by Michael Tucker for Mortgage Bankers Association.

The hotel sector is coming back–slowly–from its pandemic-related downturn, analysts said.

Originally published on April 14, 2021, by the Federal Reserve.

This report was prepared at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas based on information collected on or before April 5, 2021. This document summarizes comments received from contacts outside the Federal Reserve System and is not a commentary on the views of Federal Reserve officials.

Originally published on March 30, 2021, by The Conference Board.

The Consumer Confidence Survey® reflects prevailing business conditions and likely developments for the months ahead. This monthly report details consumer attitude, buying intentions, vacation plans and consumer expectation for inflation, stock prices and interest rates. Data are data available by age, income, region and top 8 states.

Originally published on March 30, 2021, by Rebecca Meeker and Nuno Mota for Fannie Mae.

As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the country in 2020, it touched nearly every aspect of the U.S. economy. In the housing market, new listings, home sales, and residential construction all plummeted in the spring of 2020. In the following months, however, the housing market proved resilient, with home sales and new construction reaching decade highs amid historically low mortgage rates.

Originally published by Rose Quint on March 25, 2021, for the National Association of Home Builders.

A recent NAHB study* found that COVID-19 has impacted the housing preferences of 25% of home buyers. More specifically, the survey asked about location preferences both prior to COVID-19 and now: did buyers’ preferred location change as a result of the pandemic? Results show that a segment of home buyers have in fact shifted their preference towards the outlying suburbs due to the health crisis.

Originally published by Patricia Kirk on March 22, 2021, for WelathManagement.com.

Soaring demand and constrained supply have caused industrial property values to rise for the past decade. But with the pandemic accelerating an increase in online sales, the industrial commercial property price index (CPPI) rose 8.8 percent over the previous year, with warehouse values surging 10 percent and flex industrial values rising 6.5 percent, according to a recent report from real estate date firm Real Capital Analytics (RCA). 

Originally published on March 25, 2021, by Angela Waugaman for Freddie Mac

MCLEAN, Va., March 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Freddie Mac (OTCQB: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), showing that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 3.17 percent.

Originally published on March 18, 2021, by Lauren Thomas for CNBC.com.

For the first time in years, retailers across the country are planning to open more stores than they are closing.

Despite talk that businesses may move their offices from an urban location to a suburban one, or relocate to a state with more financial benefits, a new survey shows the shift may never happen as 67% of respondents to the Real Estate Market Sentiment Survey said they have no plans to pack up, the law firm Seyfarth reported March 15.

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Originally published on March 4, 2021 by Sanziana Bana for RentCafe.com. 

Vibrant Small Towns in America’s Heartland Are the Top Trending Locations for Gen Z

The downtown life in big coastal cities is so last decade. That’s according to the latest data that shows small towns in the heartland are newly trending for Gen Z renters. This is especially noteworthy because Zoomers were the fastest-growing active renter segment in the U.S. last year, and their locations of choice are just the opposite of their Millennial predecessors.

Originally published on March 9, 2021 by Chairwoman Waters and Ranking Member McHenry.

The Appraisal Institute on March 9 sent a letter to the House Committee on Financial Services expressing its support for the Real Estate Valuation Fairness and Improvement Act of 2021. The legislation would establish an interagency task force to analyze federal collateral underwriting standards and guidance and provide resources for promoting diversity in the valuation profession.

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Originally published by Michael Tucker on March 1, 2021.

U.S. commercial property prices grew again in January, sector analysts reported.

Originally published by Rich Miller on February 19, 2021, for Bloomberg.com.

The Federal Reserve warned of significant risks of business bankruptcies and steep drops in commercial real estate prices in a report published on Friday.

Originally published by Kate Duguid for Reuters.com on February 22, 2021. 

Rising sea levels and extreme weather could cause $20 billion of flood damage to at-risk U.S. homes this year, rising to $32 billion by 2051, according to research from New York-based flood research non-profit First Street Foundation published on Monday.

Originally published by Michael Tucker on February 23, 2021, for Newslink.com

The office market has seen less deterioration during the pandemic recession than it did during the Great Recession, but it’s not out of the woods yet, reported Moody’s Analytics REIS, New York.

Originally published on February 18, 2021, for the National Association of Home Builders.

Housing production softened in January as rising lumber prices continue to affect the housing industry. Overall housing starts decreased 6.0% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.58 million units, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.

While housing starts ended the year on a strong note, rising lumber prices and increasing regulatory cost concerns could affect future production. Led by a solid, double-digit gain in single-family starts, overall housing starts increased 5.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.67 million units, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.

The December reading of 1.67 million starts is the number of housing units builders would begin if development kept this pace for the next 12 months. Within this overall number, single-family starts increased 12.0 percent to a 1.34 million seasonally adjusted annual rate. The multifamily sector, which includes apartment buildings and condos, decreased 13.6 percent to a 331,000 pace.

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By Michael Tucker

Cushman & Wakefield, Chicago, reported the recession that began in March is still being felt in the U.S. office market.